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Govt’s order put MC in a fix
Barnala, November 2
With the state government tightening its grip over the municipal committee here, the authorities are now in a fix. Already facing a financial crunch, the latest order issued by the director, local bodies, has made the affairs more difficult for the civic body.

PAU wants land in Ladowal
Ludhiana, November 2
The Punjab Agricultural University is learnt to have declined the government’s offer of providing land in Amritsar in lieu of 25 acres acquired in Bathinda for the sports stadium. Instead, the university has suggested to the government to provide land at Ladowal near here.

DAV College, Abohar triumphs in Bhangra
Abohar, November 2
The D A V College, Abohar retained its top position in bhangra for fourth consecutive year while the hosts, Bhag Singh Hayer Khalsa College for Women, topped in general dances and gidha besides winning five other competitions in the PU Diamond Jubilee Zonal Youth and Heritage Festival, which concluded at the Bhag Singh Hayer Khalsa College for Women, Kala Tibba village here today.

One held for possessing 20 kg opium
Bathinda, November 2
The Sardool Garh police on Friday arrested one Raj Modar of Rampura Phul at village Sardool Garh under district Mansa for allegedly possessing 20 kilogram of opium.

PSEB sets bill anomaly right
Bathinda, November 2
The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) has set right a billing anomaly brought to the notice of the Permanent Lok Adalat here by one Manjit Singh of Paras Ram Nagar.

40 power theft cases detected
Barnala, November 2
Around 40 cases of theft had been detected today in a raid by enforcement wing of the electricity board at Tapa, about 15 km from here, on Friday.

Two arrested with drugs

	Evening Schools Boon for underprivileged kids Bhanu P Lohumi Tribune News service Bathinda, November 2 Evening schools have become an essential component of inclusive education under the ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan,’ aimed at imparting education to every children in the age-group of 6-14 years. The government funds these schools and spirited teachers with a missionary zeal come forward to teach the underprivileged children. A large number of kids from a poor background, who can’t afford a formal education, are imparted education to bring them into the mainstream. One such school, situated on the Goniana Road here, completed its first year today. The school that started with 22 students now has a strength of more than 60 students including 35 girls and 25 boys. Gurmeet Kaur, who teaches there, feels satisfied. “We are not just imparting education to the kids but also inculcating etiquettes in them,” she said. The school that functions in open air, imparts education to the pre-primary classes in Maths, English and Punjabi on the lines of Punjab Board syllabus, six days a week from 1 pm to 4 pm. The Central government provides the books to the students as they can’t afford to purchase books or stationery. A class II student, Tina, who aspires to be an inspector, feels that education is the only way to build confidence and lead a better life. Most kids coming to the school work during the day and with the change in the mindset of their parents, more students are joining the classes, said Meenakshi Ahuja, a teacher at the evening school. The efforts of the government can only bring these children to evening schools but their real education would depend on the response of society. People with means and non-government organisations (NGOs) need to play an important role to support these children by providing financial, material and moral support. No doubt that the basic needs of these children like nutrition, clothes, books, healthcare and education have to be met by the government but a society can’t be insensitive or apathetic to the plight of children driven out of mainstream education merely due to stark poverty and utter lack of community support.
	Govt’s order put MC in a fix Kamlesh Sharma Barnala, November 2 With the state government tightening its grip over the municipal committee here, the authorities are now in a fix. Already facing a financial crunch, the latest order issued by the director, local bodies, has made the affairs more difficult for the civic body. The government has asked the municipal committee to take prior approval before making any expenditure from arrears realized by way of house tax and water tax. The latest directions issued by Ashwani Kumar, deputy director, local bodies, to all executive officers on October 31 reads, “The amount collected by way of arrears of house tax, user charges on water supply and sewage shall be kept aside, and these may be spent only with the prior approval of the government.’ If this amount is spent without the approval of the senior officials, then the executive officer concerned will be held responsible for it. The previous Congress government had waived off octroi, house tax, water and sewage charges for small houses measuring up to five marlas. But the present government has levied these taxes and orders for their recovery have been issued. Earlier, the municipal committee was eyeing this amount to accelerate its development work, but the orders have shattered their hopes. According to a municipal councillor, the collection of VAT is not enough to run the affairs of the municipal committee and to add to its woes, the state government has denied the use of this sum for development work. Reacting to the situation, BJP councillor Subash Makra termed the as ‘unfortunate.’ He also said that the matter would be taken up at the party forum. He said that the amount received from collection of VAT is only Rs 45 lakh per month against an expenditure of Rs 49 lakh every month. Executive officer K.S. Brar, when contacted, confirmed the receipt of the letter from the local bodies department.
	PAU wants land in Ladowal Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 2 The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) is learnt to have declined the government’s offer of providing land in Amritsar in lieu of 25 acres acquired in Bathinda for the sports stadium. Instead, the university has suggested to the government to provide land at Ladowal near here. Confirming it to ‘The Tribune’ today, the VC said most of the land being offered to PAU was scattered. Some land was under litigation. A team of PAU experts comprising Director, Research and Extension, Estate Officer, Assistant Director, Seeds, returned from Amritsar today and is believed to be not in favour of accepting that land. The experts pointed out that PAU required land for research and it must be compact and not scattered. The team also learnt that some of the land was under litigation. The PAU would like not to get dragged into litigation, the VC said. “We will convey this to the government and would suggest them to provide the land next to Ladowal farm, which belongs to the government itself,” the VC said. It may be mentioned here that in lieu of the Bathinda land, the state government had asked the PAU authorities to get land in Amritsar district. Some of the land (PAU) near Ladowal had already been given to the telecom company, Airtel, by the previous government about three years back. About 3,000 acres of land is still there in Ladowal on which there was a proposal to set up an airport by the Central government. However, it did not materialise and the land is still with the government.
	DAV College, Abohar triumphs in Bhangra Our Correspondent Abohar, November 2 The D A V College, Abohar retained its top position in bhangra for fourth consecutive year while the hosts, Bhag Singh Hayer Khalsa College for Women, topped in general dances and gidha besides winning five other competitions in the PU Diamond Jubilee Zonal Youth and Heritage Festival, which concluded at the Bhag Singh Hayer Khalsa College for Women, Kala Tibba village here today. Zora Singh Mann, MP and Surinder Kumar Jakhar, chairman, IFFCO, were guests of honour at the concluding session. Following are the final results: Bhangra: D A V College, Abohar, Folk dances: D A V College, Jalalabad (West), Exhibition: Dashmesh Girls College, Badal, Group dance general: Bhag Singh Khalsa College for Women, Kala Tibba, Gidha: Bhag Singh Khalsa College for Women, Ladies traditional songs: Bhag Singh Khalsa College for Women, Kavishri: Govt. College, Muktsar, Kali singing: Bhag Singh Khalsa College for Women, Vaar singing: Guru Nanak Girls College, Muktsar, Mehandi: Guru Nanak Khalsa College, Abohar, Pakhi making: Bhag Singh Khalsa College for Women, Knitting: Guru Nanak College, Killianwali, Bagh-Phulkari designing: Guru Nanak Girls College, Muktsar, Dasuti: Bhag Singh Khalsa College for Women, Crochet work: Bhag Singh Khalsa College for Women.
	One held for possessing 20 kg opium Tribune News Service Bathinda, November 2 The Sardool Garh police on Friday arrested one Raj Modar of Rampura Phul at village Sardool Garh under district Mansa for allegedly possessing 20 kilogram of opium. Police sources said that acting upon a tip-off, the police made a special check-post to nab the accused. The accused was driving a Bolero jeep and the opium packet was lying on the seat. The officer in charge of the team, Deputy Superintendent of Police Randhir Uppal said, “The accused was on his way home after purchasing the opium from village Thikriwal in Rajasthan. The accused had already taken 10 kilogram of opium during the last two months.” It has been further learnt that the accused used to buy the opium at the rate of Rs 35,000 per kilogram and sell it at the rate of Rs 70,000. Sources in the city also said that the accused had just assumed the office of the chairman of a local school. Medical camp Bathinda: A free medical check-up-cum-treatment camp was organised by the State Bank of India and Rotary Club jointly at Jain Sabha building in Kikkar Bazar here on Thursday. — TNS